


Shift

by adrianicsea



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: M/M, werewolf!mahariel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 12:29:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7844977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adrianicsea/pseuds/adrianicsea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During their quest to save the Dalish from a clan of savage werewolves, Alistair is shocked to find that Cyrand has gone through some rather sudden changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shift

**Author's Note:**

> I know that this isn't how lycanthropy works in Dragon Age, but it IS how it works in a Dragon Age Origins mod that lets you contract lycanthropy and play as a werewolf. Since my ingame Cyrand was a werewolf, I wanted to write something about it since it's never mentioned ingame.

The monster standing before Alistair still kind of looks like Cyrand, he dimly thinks as he raises his shield.

Its white fur is still messy, and even though it towers over Alistair, its build is more slight than the other werewolves they’ve seen so far. Eyes that still carry a shade of their former blue stare Alistair down, devoid of any recognizable emotion. Even a hint of Cyrand’s vallaslin peek out on the werewolf’s snout where the fur gives way to bare skin. Alistair swallows as he slowly begins to reach for his sword, careful not to startle the werewolf. It notices, though, and flattens its ears with a growl, lip curling to bare newly sharpened fangs. Alistair can hear Wynne shouting something at him, and Dreyhart is barking, but none of that seems to matter right now. Time is all but standing still.

Then, before Alistair can react, the werewolf leaps, easily knocking the Warden off his feet. Alistair groans in pain as he hits the ground, pressed down even harder by the creature’s enormous weight as it settles on top of him. He automatically starts struggling to free himself, but the werewolf just sits there, pinning Alistair to the ground.

The werewolf… Isn’t attacking.

Alistair stops once he realizes this and instead regards the beast with a wary eye.

“Cyrand…?”

The werewolf’s eyes almost seem to light up in response. Alistair tentatively begins to prop himself up on his elbows, though he’s still pinned beneath the werewolf.

“Cyrand, is that _really_ you in there? You know who I am?”

To Alistair’s great surprise, the beast nods enthusiastically. Then, surprise of surprises, it sits back, taking some of its weight off of Alistair, and starts panting. Alistair laughs in disbelief and sits up, reaching to touch the werewolf’s – Cyrand’s – face. He leans in to the touch, eyes slitting in happiness.

“Maker, it really is you,” Alistair chuckles. “I’d recognize that lovestruck puppy act anywhere.”

* * *

 

It takes an hour of coaching and coaxing from Wynne and Alistair before Cyrand somehow, miraculously, regains his normal form. Alistair leaps forward to grab Cyrand in a hug as soon as he emerges from under the wolf pelt, not even caring that Cyrand is naked.

* * *

 

“So, do you think it just comes and goes?” Alistair asks at camp that night. Cyrand nods, gazing introspectively into the fire.

“It’s like… A second voice in the back of my mind,” he says, his voice halting. “Or a third, I guess, counting the taint.” He barks a bitter laugh.

“It’s pretty easy to ignore, at least right now… But before, it got harder to block out the more pain I was in. If it gets too loud… Well, I guess that’s when the change happens.”

“I see,” Alistair says softly. “And… You’re able to stay yourself when you change?”

Cyrand shrugs, eyebrows drawn together in thought.

“Mostly, I guess… After the first few minutes, anyway. I don’t think I can talk, but it’s still me... Just a lot more violent. It doesn’t take much to set m—to set that thing off.”

Cyrand has been steadily shrinking into himself as he speaks. Alistair notices the break in Cyrand’s voice, the way he almost-but-can’t refer to the great white werewolf as himself. He gently wraps his arm around Cyrand’s narrow body, and the elf sighs and leans his head against Alistair’s shoulder in response.

“Do you think it’ll go away if we find a way to cure the rest of the werewolves?” Alistair asks, after a moment of quiet in between them. Another shrug from Cyrand.

“There’s only one way to find out, I guess.”

Alistair frowns to himself. Wrapping his arm tighter around Cyrand, he leans down to kiss the other Warden’s hair. Cyrand looks up at him with a mix of confusion and sadness.

“We’ll figure something out, Cyrand. Don’t worry.”

Alistair smiles reassuringly down at Cyrand. He doesn’t look convinced, but he manages to return the smile anyway.

“You’re right, Alistair.”

“Now there’s a scary thought,” Alistair jokes. Cyrand laughs softly and turns to kiss Alistair’s neck.


End file.
